It’s been a while since we have discussed the steps to take after your job interview, and as the world of recruitment and hiring evolves, we want to make sure we stay on top of it!
Re-connecting with your recruiter or hiring manager after you have already completed your interview can be an uncomfortable process. You want to stay top-of-mind, but you don’t want to seem needy or irritating. You are hoping for some sort of answer, but you want to respect their time and the process they have to undergo. It can be a challenge to strike that balance, but Acloché is here to help!
The Thank You Note
Before we dive into the actual interview follow-up, we would be remiss not to re-emphasize how crucial it is to send a thank-you note to whoever interviewed you. We have a great resource here with advice and a template that you can use in order to give yourself a head start on this task.
Try to have the basic skeleton of this “Thank You” email already written out so that it’s ready to send within 24 hours of the interview. We highly recommend incorporating some specific topic or conversation that came up during your interview—this will help the hiring manager to associate your name with your face and potentially make you stand out a little in their mind. It will also show that you are willing to take a little extra time to tailor your Thank You notes to each interview, instead of sending out the same exact thing to all of your potential employers.
“What are the next steps?”
Interviews can be a stressful and seemingly infinitely long experience, so it’s understandable that sometimes we see people forget this step, but it’s very important to ask your interviewer something along the lines of “What are the next steps for me to take in this process?”
Once the meat of the interview has concluded, and the closing pleasantries have been exchanged, this step will help you mentally wrap things up and make sure you’re not leaving yourself completely hanging on the edge of your seat while you wait on the results of the interview.
Gather as many details as you can from your potential employer so that you do not end up pestering them with requests for additional information later. Often the hiring manager will be happy to give you some general information on how long you can expect to wait until you hear back—something they otherwise may not offer up without being prompted.
It can be a challenge to word this request in a manner that doesn’t seem too pushy. We have seen success with something like this: “How long would you say the evaluation process typically takes for this type of position?” That question could lead to a short conversation with the interviewer where you can gain additional post-interview information as well.
Sending a Follow-Up Email
This last step is the one that people find the most uncomfortable. You have been waiting on the company hand and foot for some sort of answer, yet you haven’t received anything.
If the process seems to be taking longer than expected, it’s perfectly normal to reach out again expressing your interest. Simply make sure your message comes across in a calm, professional manner so that you do not inadvertently drive the potential employer away. Mention the date you interviewed and the position you interviewed for, and reaffirm that you think you’re a great fit for the company.
This is also an opportunity for you to maybe include a link or resource about a topic relevant to the conversations that you had during your interview. Keep things simple and demonstrate your value.
The timing of this email can be dependent on a few factors, but hopefully, you were able to get a general expectation of when the decision would be made earlier in your interview. If that window has passed (which is not uncommon during the hiring process), send the follow-up email just to reengage the hiring manager.
After that last follow-up, you’re now left with the most difficult step: being patient! You’ve interviewed, sent a Thank You note, and followed up to the best of your abilities. In the meantime, make sure to apply any lessons you’ve learned during this interview process to your next set of interviews. Think of ways you excelled and ways you came up a little short, and prepare yourself to nail it the next time.